Vietnamese journalist succumbs to burn injuries

Bangkok, January 31, 2011--The death of a Vietnamese journalist who was brutally attacked last week underscores the urgency for authorities to investigate the case,the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Le Hoang Hung, a reporter with the Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper, succumbed to severe injuries in a Ho Chi Minh City hospital over the weekend, according to international news reports.

On January
20, an unknown assailant entered Hung's house in Tan An town, dousing the
reporter in chemicals and setting him ablaze. He suffered severe burns on around
20 percent of his body and was in critical condition before his death,
according to news reports.

"Le Hoang
Hung's death must be fully and independently investigated, and his killer
brought to justice," said Shawn Crispin,
CPJ's Southeast Asia Representative. "Media killings are rare in Vietnam and
authorities should act to ensure that a culture of impunity does not begin to
take root."

Hung's wife,
Tran Thi Lieu, told reporters that he had received threatening text messages on
his mobile phone from unknown numbers before the attack. News reports indicate
that he had widely covered official misconduct in the country's southern Mekong
Delta region.

Police have
indicated they are investigating the attack. So far no suspects have been
identified or arrests made, according to the reports.